Who would you sign?

I like the Ottawa trade better. Foligno is probably about as effective Clowe but with more upside, Pavelski is very good, but Zibanejad could be a future star, Lehner is gonna be a really good goalie and the first in a D-heavy draft would be better than Demers...that Ottawa deal is a humdinger I feel...I'm not sure if it's enough for Nash though, if I'm Howson. I'd be very careful with that asset as well, has to be a perfect fit. You can't try to squeeze water from a stone here, certainly, and I know some feel he's doing that...but this isn't some trade...this is the most important transaction in franchise history...

DontToewsMeBro wrote:Actually Semin has come out (shut up) and basically said he's not going to be back in DC, and I know Parise has a completely different set of intangibles, but from a fiscal standpoint Semin might make more sense considering he's very talented but lacks that extra something that separates him from being a franchise player. I think he would put up more goals with Sid, especially considering its a running joke on HF that Devils fans say they have never (seriously) seen Parise score a goal from beyond the hash marks.

Pavel Bure wrote:There's no way that SJS offer for Nash is real, there's no way he would have turned that down.

Bleh, that's not that impressive an offer, IMO. I would have asked for something more than a second line center, a complimentary winger, a third pairing D and a first for my franchise player as well. Of all the offers I've heard for Nash, that's the weakest one I think.

scpensfan wrote:Maybe I'm just scarred from our last Pens experience, but I don't see how defense isn't the bigger need. By a mile. Parise would be awesome, but *somebody's* gonna have to keep Philadephia from putting up 8 a game.

Not if we score 9. Besides, isn't that why we got Vokoun?

No. The problem wasn't Fleury. It won't get better with Vokoun, Brodeur, Tony Esposito, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, or Tom Barrasso in net. It's the guys in front of the goalie who had the horrible play. Defense dictates flow of play and wins Cups. Offense is good and you need it, but in the end you've got to stop the other team.

I would like to have Parise, but you have to get another great defenseman - Suter. AT that point if you can afford Parise, sure. And if Hal Gill is available for $2.75 or $2.5M and you've still got cap space, why not?

So Martin and Kennedy are this decade's Kraft and Laukkanen of underachieving players that Pens desperately want to get rid of but are convinced they can be used to get a great player back? Paler Marnedy?

1) Suter and Parise are signed, Martin is moved for prospects like Michalek was as there won't be anyone much better for what he is making during free agency

2) Suter is signed, Parise goes to another team and Martin is moved to the Wild for Bouchard or Setoguchio or Troronto for Lupul or Armstrong

3) Parise is signed and we rely on mostly offense to overcome and shortcomings on defense while Despres, Strait, Bortuzzo and maybe even Morrow get their feet yet and earn more responsibility and address any other defnsive needs at the deadline with massive cap space

4) neither is signed and a lesser tier free agent like Parentau or Sullivan is brought back and we address all needs at the trade deadline

Froggy wrote:Are we all at least in agreement that Martin shouldn't be dealt unless we have already replaced him with a true top pairing d man?

Even if it doesn't happen now...he could still be dealt during the season if the situation/oppertunity arose.

Yeah, unless we need cap relief, there is no rush to do anything with Martin. I just don't want to trade him and then miss out on suter. I know people hate Martin, or whatever... But I'm not to keen on the idea of niskanen and either engelland or a rookie logging 20+ a night

For what the Pens should spend on parise and Suter there is enough cap space to sign both and not need to trade Martin.

If that happens then Niskanen can't be signed until Martin is gone. So there's your new dilema, do you trade Martin for some picks and prospects and rely on Niskanen as your #4 (which I am fine with) or do you keep Martin and move Niskanen?

Gaucho wrote:I rate the chances of the Pens signing Suter as slim to none.

Why? We're in it right with everybody else.

Because of the article about the situation in the Post-Gazette. His desire to remain in the West and the Red Wings being in it makes me think we'll probably not get him. And I'm not even sure I'd want him for the money he's bound to get.

Gaucho wrote:I rate the chances of the Pens signing Suter as slim to none.

Why? We're in it right with everybody else.

Because of the article about the situation in the Post-Gazette. His desire to remain in the West and the Red Wings being in it makes me think we'll probably not get him. And I'm not even sure I'd want him for the money he's bound to get.

well #1 he is an elite d-man... so money would need to be spent to get him, and i don't think shero would ever regret the money it took to sign him, BUT I agree. I really think we have no chance at all of signing him. I see him signing with the wings.

Eh. I won't get into guessing games. I'll also let Shero decide how he wants to structure his lineup. Consider also that if you sign a player like Suter, he becomes an asset and so unless he gives him a super clause, he'll be easy to move if something doesn't work out or if we want to change something. Getting quality players as UFA in the summer is also a good strategy if you think you may want to make a trade at the deadline.